Ray was the first elemental master Wu found, I just didn't have this ready first. I actually accidentally published these first few stories in reverse order. Wu and Garmadon found Ray first, then Hermes and Cara, then Maya, and then Ice and Libby joined them. All the other elemental masters came later, I but won't write about how Wu and Garmadon found them because they aren't as important in the long run.

Also, would y'all be upset if I included stories about Ed, Edna, and Lou in this story collection? I know they aren't technically elemental masters, but I don't know where else I would include any stories about them.

Ray counted the money in his hand for the third time. It would drain his entire savings, but they could have a proper meal that night instead of just bread. He went to the market and bought some rice, some green beans, and two chicken breasts. When he counted his change, he realized he had enough to buy some tea bags. Once he was done, he headed back home. He sighed as he climbed the rickety steps up to the apartment with the paper taped to the door. He couldn't read the paper, but he knew what it meant: they had to be out by ten the next morning.

He slowly opened the door. The place couldn't really be called an apartment. It was just one room with a wood stove, an old sink that didn't always work, and a mattress in the middle of the room. Everything else had long since been sold, and the bugs quickly moved into the empty spaces.

"Mom?" Ray called as he closed the door behind him.

Ruby started hacking as she sat up. Ray rushed to her side.

"I'm fine," Ruby coughed.

Ray knew it was a lie but said nothing. She hadn't been fine for a year, if not longer. Ray hadn't known just how bad she was until six months ago when she collapsed at work. Ruby lost her job shortly after. Ray did what he could, but no one wanted to hire a kid who could barely read his own name. He was lucky a blacksmith had needed a sales boy. Ray got to keep ten percent of the money he made from each sale. He suspected the blacksmith was cheating him out of his pay, but he couldn't prove it.

"I did really well today. We're going to feast tonight," Ray said.

"You did? That's great, sweetie."

Ray smiled at her and turned on the stove. As he boiled some water for the rice, his stomach growled. He couldn't remember the last time they had been about to afford meat. Even the bugs seemed to notice the real food and Ray had to keep the infestation away from the stove. When the food was done cooking, he put some in a bowl for his mom and gave it to her. Ruby smiled as she ate. Ray pretended he didn't see the blood on her handkerchief every time she coughed.

"Come here, sunshine. We need to talk." Ruby patted the mattress next to her.

Ray sat down with his bowl of food. She hadn't called him that in years, ever since he complained it sounded too girly. He flicked the roaches off the mattress and sat down.

"Ray, there's something I haven't told you about our family."

Ray paused mid-chew. His mom never talked about family. He didn't know anything about his dad, not even his name or if he was even alive, and his mom never talked about her family except to curse their names.

"What?" Ray asked.

"Our family, we're special. There's a power that's passed down through the generations. My dad had it, I had it, and you have it."

"What are you talking about, Mom?"

"Fire, Ray. We control fire. You can make it, control it…"

Ray put a hand on his mom's forehead.

"I'm not crazy," Ruby said as she removed his hand.

"Really? Because I can't control fire."

"Yes, you can, Ray. It's in your blood."

Ray sighed and focused on his food. She had to be delusional. He would surely know by now if he could control fire. Even if she was right, why tell him now and not one of the countless nights when they were close to freezing to death? It didn't make any sense.

Ray was silent as he ate. He didn't know what he was going to do. How was he supposed to take care of his mom when they didn't have a place to call home? He supposed she would end up in an institution somewhere. No one in their right mind would let a homeless fourteen-year-old kid take care of their dying mother.

"It'll be okay, Ray." Ruby stroked his hair in reassurance.

Ray couldn't look at her. He wished there was something he could do to make her better. He wished he could get a better job that made more money, but he knew that was never going to happen.

"I love you, sunshine. No matter what happens after tomorrow, never forget how much I love you." Ruby hugged her son.

"I love you too, Mom."

"Hey, kid."

Ray looked up. He was sitting outside on the landing, hugging his knees. The landlord stood in front of him.

"It's time for you to go. Where's your mom?"

Ray looked at the apartment door. The landlord went inside. Ray didn't move. He couldn't. He didn't move when the landlord came back with the proper authorities. He heard them whispering about him, and he could feel them staring at him. All Ray could do was bury his head in his arms. Eventually, a mortician came over and knelt down in front of him.

"We're taking her away now. Is there anyone you want us to notify?"

Ray shook his head. The mortician shrugged and went back inside. A police officer came out to talk to him.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"... I woke up, and she was…" Ray couldn't finish the sentence. He wiped away the tears that were forming.

"Do you know about when she passed?"

"No… She was sick for a long time…" He watched them carry her out of the apartment, a sheet over her body.

"Is there anyone you can stay with?"

Ray shook his head. He grabbed the bag next to him which held all of his possessions and followed everyone down the stairs.

"Where are you taking her?" Ray asked.

"To the morgue. You're welcome to come along."

Ray nodded and followed them. He stayed at the morgue until the police officer from earlier came by and escorted him to a homeless shelter.

That night was the worst night of Ray's life. Three times, someone tried to steal his shoes, and someone else nearly made off his with his bag. Ray left before breakfast. He didn't care if the police came by. He was fourteen and could take care of himself.

"Get out of my shop!"

Ray just barely managed to dodge the block of iron his boss threw at him.

"Please. I'm sorry I missed work yesterday. It won't happen again, I promise," Ray pleaded.

"If you really wanted this job, you wouldn't have missed work in the first place!"

"My mom died and-"

"Get out!"

Ray ran out the door just as his boss threw a dagger at him. He landed hard on the ground, but scrambled to his feet and grabbed the dagger when he saw his boss storming towards him.

"I catch you around here again, I'll skin you alive!" The door slammed shut.

Once the shock wore off, Ray ran away before his boss changed his mind about letting him live. Not knowing where else to go, Ray made his way back to the morgue. He hung around the area for a few days, until the city buried Ruby in a potter's field. She was thirty-two.

There was no funeral or memorial service for Ruby. Ray couldn't afford one. He was the only one who was there to watch her be buried. The mortician showed Ray the obituary in the paper and let him keep it. Her obituary was tiny compared to the others on the page. Ray wished he could read it. He put the paper in his bag and left.

A year passed. Ray sometimes managed to find an odd job here and there, but his best bet was to beg for money. Every few days, he would travel to a different part of the city to look for a job, but no one wanted to give him a chance. He didn't blame them. He couldn't remember the last time he had a shower, he had more bug bites than he could count, and his hat only offered so much protection from the sun

Ray barely slept during the night. It was too dangerous most of the time, but when he did sleep, Ray slept with a firm grip on his dagger. Most nights, though, Ray spent the time testing his powers. Even though he did feel a connection to fire, he still thought his mom was exaggerating. It was months before he could actively control how big he wanted his campfires to be.

One day, while he was begging, he noticed a strange man staring at him. Ray was used to jeering at him by this point and yelling at him to get a job, but something about this man seemed off. The next day, Ray tried a different spot and the man was there again. On the third day, Ray went to a different part of the city and still the man followed him.

That evening, right when Ray was about to give up for the day, the man approached him carrying a grocery bag.

"You must be hungry."

Ray shrugged. He was numb to the hunger pains by this point, but whatever was in the bag smelled so good. The man pulled out a rotisserie chicken and gave it to him. Ray just stared at the chicken.

"It's for you."

"What's the catch?" Ray asked. In his experience, no one was ever this nice just to be nice.

"I want to talk."

Ray shrugged and led the man to the alley he currently called home.

"Who are you?" Ray asked as he dug into the chicken.

"My name is Wu. What's your name?"

"Ray. Did you want any of this?" Ray asked with his mouth full.

"No, it's for you."

Ray didn't understand, but he was too hungry to question the man. It had been almost two weeks since he had eaten more than scraps.

"How old are you?" Wu asked.

Ray shrugged. He honestly didn't know how long he had been on the streets. The days all blended together. Wu asked him a few more questions and Ray answered them as best he could, but he didn't know what this guy was after and had to keep his guard up.

"I'm looking for someone special, Ray, and I think it might be you."

"I don't see how. I'm not important."

"I see. Did anyone ever tell you about elemental powers?" Wu asked.

Ray stared at him. He didn't know how to respond. He focused on chewing so he didn't seem like he was being rude.

"There are people in this world who have the power to control elements. Elements like fire," Wu continued.

Ray nearly choked on his bite of chicken. Who was this man? He hadn't told anyone about his fire power, and he had been careful to make sure no one was watching when he practiced.

"I know more about you than you think," Wu said.

Ray put his chicken down and stared at Wu.

"How?" Ray asked.

"I have my sources. Ray, I can help you if you trust me."

"Help me? With what? Getting a job? No one in this entire city will hire me."

"Do you have any skills?"

"I was a sales boy for a blacksmith for a while."

"Well I can't guarantee you a job, but I can provide you with shelter, a safe place to sleep at night, three meals a day, and help you harness your powers."

"And what do I have to do in return?"

"Help me fight a war."

Ray really didn't know why he agreed to go with the man, especially after he saw the mountain Wu expected him to climb.

"Let's go," Wu said as he started up.

"Are there stairs? I've never done anything like this before," Ray said.

"Just don't look down."

Ray groaned and started up the side of the mountain. He had no idea how long it took, but eventually, they came upon stairs leading to a monastery.

"Stairs … there are stairs!" Ray yelled as he gasped for breath.

"Yes." Wu opened the door for Ray.

"A monastery… I thought you said we were gonna fight a war."

"We will, once you are trained. Come, I will show you to your room."

Ray followed Wu through the monastery. It was quaint. There was a small kitchen/dining area by the front door, and a bathroom in the middle of two hallways. Wu led Ray down the left hallway and slid open a door. There were three sets of bunk beds in the room.

"This is your room. You may choose any of the beds," Wu said.

"Are you expecting more people?" Ray asked.

"Yes. My brother and I are going to track down as many elemental masters as we can find and ask for their help. The bathroom is down the hall if you wish to freshen up. You can set your bag down anywhere."

Ray shook his head and went into the bathroom, clutching his bag. He washed his hands, arms, face, and neck and immediately felt somewhat better and decided to wander around.

"Are you settling in okay?" Wu asked as Ray wandered into the dining room.

"Um, yeah."

"Good." Wu finished setting the table as another man with dark hair entered carrying a pan with a roast on it.

"Ray, this is my brother, Garmadon. Garmadon, this is Ray, Master of Fire," Wu said.

"Nice to meet you," Ray said.

"Fire, huh? Mind if we see a little demonstration?" Garmadon placed a candle in front of Ray.

"Brother, this is not the time," Wu chastised.

Ray shifted as Garmadon glared at him. He knew what Garmadon wanted him to do, but he couldn't do it. He decided to try a trick he had been practicing instead.

"You have a match?" Ray asked.

"The master of Fire requires a match?" Garmadon asked sarcastically.

Wu handed Ray a box. Ray lit one of the matches, slowly picked up the flame, and transferred it to the candle. He held up his hand when he was done to show he wasn't burned.

"Impressive," Garmadon said.

"May we eat now, or do you have more tests for him?" Wu asked.

Ray didn't know how much more he could take. Garmadon seemed to expect him to magically have complete mastery over his element and Wu would drill him on a sword from sun-up to sun-down. After only a week, Ray still didn't know if he could trust the brothers and slept with his dagger under his pillow. He seriously debated going back to begging on the streets. On the other hand, they hadn't kicked him out yet even though he was basically useless.

After a long day of training, Ray collapsed on his bed. He was nearly asleep when someone knocked on the door. Ray groaned as he pushed himself up. It was probably dinner time.

"Hi?" Ray asked when he opened the door.

"Ray, are you happy here?" Wu asked.

Ray furrowed his brow. He couldn't remember the last time he was truly happy. It was probably years ago, back when he was a child and the world seemed so simple, before his mom got sick. He liked that he had a bed and had three meals a day, but he wouldn't say he was happy.

"No," Ray admitted.

"What would make you happy?"

Ray shrugged. Short of going back in time, he didn't believe he would ever be happy again. He didn't understand why Wu even cared about him.

"I don't want you to feel like a prisoner. If you wish to leave, you may," Wu said.

"Where would I go?" Ray asked as he sat down on his bed.

"You don't have any family?"

"No. If I dropped dead tomorrow, no one would notice. Or care."

"I would care."

Ray rolled his eyes and sat down on his bed.

"I would," Wu repeated.

"I guarantee you no one's noticed I've disappeared," Ray spat.

"I'm sure that's not true."

"The only person in all of Ninjago who cared at all about me is dead. I have no home, no job, and no skills. I can't read, write, or do math. My mom hated her family and I never met my dad. I don't even know his name. You asked if I was happy. I'm not. I don't think I'll ever be happy in life. No one cares what happens to me. No you, not Garmadon, no one, and no one will ever care. I appreciate your hospitality, but I don't need your pity. Please, just leave me alone."

"Ray…"

"I said leave!" As Ray stood up, a small amount of fire erupted from his hands. Wu was too stunned to do anything as Ray shoved him into the hall and locked the door. Ray flopped down on his bed, grabbed his pillow, and sobbed into it. He wished his mom was there to help him as he cried himself to sleep.

Wu didn't wake Ray for morning training the next day. Ray was sure they were going to kick him out now. Garmadon already hated him, he was sure. Even if he apologized for his outburst, he had no right to stay at the monastery. He waited until it was almost lunchtime before venturing out.

Ray found Wu sitting at the dining table having tea with a man he had never seen before.

"Hello, Ray," Wu said.

"Hi?" Ray stared at the strange man.

"This is Jin. He's a blacksmith in town."

"Okay…?" Ray slowly sat down.

"I remembered you said you used to work for a blacksmith. If you want, Jin has agreed to take you on as an apprentice."

"Really?"

"Yes. It would be in the afternoons after you finish training for the day, obviously."

"You're not going to kick me out?"

"Why would I kick you out?"

Ray said nothing.

"Would you like to train under Jin?" Wu asked.

"I guess?" Ray replied.

"Good. It's all settled then."

Ray enjoyed learning under Jin. For the first time in his life, he felt useful. After only three days, he made a knife all by himself. It was cracked and warped horribly, but it was still a knife. When he returned to the monastery that evening, he found Wu in the kitchen prepping dinner.

"Wu?" Ray asked.

"Yes, Ray?"

"I'm sorry for my outburst the other day."

"It's okay. You were angry, and it's better to let those emotions out rather than bottling them up. But if you still think I don't care about you, you're wrong. I do care, and if you disappeared I would look for you."

"I know. And I'm sorry. I just…" Ray sighed and looked at the floor.

"I understand." Wu placed his hand on Ray's shoulder. Ray looked up and smiled for the first time in years.

"Thank you."